A Stroll Through The Eccentric Names Of Scottish Football Teams. – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton A Stroll Through The Eccentric Names Of Scottish Football Teams. Posted in Football , Names at 14:00 on 30 September 2009 Last week I watched a TV programme fronted by Jonathan Meades which was an annotated travelogue through post-industrial Scotland. Meades’s starting point was the almost poetic litany of the names of Scottish football clubs as heard in the results on Saturday afternoons. Unlike those from England, very few of whom have names that are geographically indeterminate, at least at first glance* (the exceptions are Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, Queen’s Park Rangers, Port Vale, Tranmere Rovers; at a pinch Crystal Palace) and most of which are relatively prosaic (Swindon Town, Derby County, Bristol City) – only Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and Crewe Alexandra have any rhetorical flourish - a disturbingly large number of Scottish teams’ names give no clue to their geographical location.

*I know Arsenal were once Woolwich Arsenal and that Everton is a district of Liverpool – as Tranmere is of Birkenhead – but Port Vale (the club plays in Burslem) isn’t on maps any more – if it ever was – and the Crystal Palace is long gone: which just leaves QPR and Villa – which may well be a Birmingham geographical locator of which I am ignorant. The list of obscurely named Scottish clubs is much longer. I have already, of course, mentioned Kirkcaldy’s finest, Raith Rovers ( dancing in the streets of Raith .) There are two Saints – of Mirren and Johnstone (and until World War 2 there was a third; of Bernard’s) – a Clyde, a Hibernian, two Queens, Queen’s Park and Queen Of The South – famously the only football team mentioned in the Bible – an Albion Rovers and two Easts, of Fife and Stirlingshire, which could be located anywhere in their respective counties.

In the case of East Stirlingshire their peregrinations actually took them as far west as Clydebank for a season before returning to their Firs Park home in Falkirk, which they have now had to leave; renting space at Stenhousemuir’s ground nearby. In this context Rangers and Celtic do not count as their full names include the prefix Glasgow. Similarly it is Greenock Morton. While Midlothian as a county no longer exists, Heart Of Midlothian – the actual heart of the county is in the centre of Edinburgh, not off Gorgie Road; and there is a mosaic over the spot which is supposed to confer luck if you spit into it (Edinburgh is not quite the douce place you might take it for) – are named for a Walter Scott novel, apparently via a local dance hall. Likewise the County of Ross is no more; in any case the eponymous club plays out of Dingwall. Was there ever a county of Stockport by the way? Yes, and no. A county borough apparently. There is a Raith estate in Kirkcaldy – and a former Raith cinema – so the name makes some sense; but it’s not on any maps of Scotland.

Clyde are somewhat disappointingly so called because they first played by the banks of that river, though they now rent a ground in Cumbernauld from the local council. The Paisley club St Mirren are named after the local Saint, Mirin; St Johnstone from Saint John’s town (of Perth,) and the now long defunct St Bernard’s after a local well by the Water of Leith. East Fife are located in Methil in – err – east Fife. Like (Glasgow) Celtic, Hibernian FC’s name reflects the Irish roots of its founders but otherwise has no relevance to Edinburgh, or Leith if you must, where they are domiciled. Albion Rovers play home games in Coatbridge and were formed from a merger between teams called, rather prosaically, Albion and Rovers. Queen’s Park is obvious but its city isn’t. (Compare Queen’s Park Rangers.) There was, too, once a King’s Park club, but that was in Stirling. Queen Of The South is an epithet given to the town of Dumfries by the poet David Dunbar.

The club which took the name amalgamated in 1919 from other teams in the area including 5th Kircudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers and 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. In this regard the former Third Lanark team (based in Glasgow, not Lanark) were also geographically obscure, and were again derived from a military source, the Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers. Historical teams in this vein are Northern, whose ground was in Springburn in Glasgow, and Thistle who also played in Glasgow at Braehead. This last is not to be confused with Partick Thistle whose ground is actually in the Maryhill district of Glasgow and not in Partick itself. Other former Scottish League clubs Solway Star, Nithsdale Wanderers and Mid-Annandale (originally Vale Of Dryfe!) had, though, some geographical pointer in their names, albeit to a wide area. The daddy of all such non-geographically named teams is Royal Albert, for two and a half years in the 1920s members of the Scottish League. Based in Larkhall, they now play junior football. The name comes from a ship their founder also owned.

They apparently bear a relationship to the Hawick team, Hawick Royal Albert, who were founded by a man from Larkhall. I hope all is clear now. 50 Things You Never Knew about Scotland : Scotland Magazine Issue 36 NEW! Tablet Edition This article is 9 years old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Scotland Magazine © 1999-2017. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally. 50 Things You Never Knew about Scotland Tweet ED PEARCE ENLIGHTENS US ALL 1. Aberdeen has won the ‘Britain in Bloom’ competition 11 times and the overall ‘Scotland in Bloom’ competition an unprecedented 39 times in a row. At one point after winning a period of nine years straight, Aberdeen was banned from the Britain in Bloom competition in order to give another city a chance. 2. Auld Lang Syne was sung more than 150 years before Robert Burns discovered it.

He transcribed it from “an old man singing” and added at least two new verses. He sent it to his friend James Johnson, the publisher of Scots Musical Museum, as an old Scottish song but Johnson delayed publishing it until after Burns’ death. The American bandleader Guy Lombardo popularised the association of the song with the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve in the early 1930s. 3. It was the Romans who brought the first bagpipes to Britain. By 1500 the bagpipe had displaced the harp as the instrument of choice in the Scottish Highlands. The use of the bagpipes as a military instrument inspired the Highlanders in their fight so much that after the 1746 Battle of Culloden, the English banned them. During this period carrying a bagpipe was considered to be as much a crime as carrying arms as it was classified an “instrument of war”. 4. John Logie Baird, (1888- 1946) the inventor of the television was an inventor from a young age.

As a boy in his hometown of Helensburgh, Baird installed not only a telephone exchange in his father’s manse but also a system of electric lighting, even entangling passing traffic in the wires. Some of Baird’s early inventions were not fully successful. He was forced to resign from his post of a supervising engineer for an electrical supply company in Glasgow when he apparently blacked out half of the city following a failed attempt to manufacture diamonds from coal dust. He also invented an unsuccessful cure for piles which left him in severe pain for a week, but made a good deal of money out of his ‘Baird patent Undersock’ damp-proof socks for cold Scottish feet. 5. In 1314 King Edward II of England was defeated by the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. The victorious Bruce attributed his success to the relic of the Scottish Saint, St. Fillan, which he took into battle. He declared it was the Saint’s intercession that gave him victory. 6. As a boy in Scotland, inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) made a talking doll that said “mama.” So convincing was it that his neighbours began hunting for an abandoned baby.

7. The world’s first pedal bicycle was made by a Dumfriesshire blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1839. His novel design enabled cyclists to ride with both their feet continuously off the ground for the first time; the popular bicycle of the time, the Hobby Horse, only provided momentum through the swinging of the riders feet back and forth. Macmillan never patented his idea and it was therefore widely copied. In June 1842 Macmillan, who was known locally as ‘Daft Pate,’ decided to visit his brother in Glasgow on his bicycle, a distance of 68 miles. However when he reached the Gorbals he knocked down a little girl who ran across his path and he was fined five Scots shillings for speeding at eight mph. The magistrate initially declared that the highways of Britain had to be kept free of ‘speedsters’ of his kind but later modified his opinions after the young inventor had shown him his contraption and is said to have slipped him the money for the fine. 8. Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) owned one of the first ever billiard tables.

The game was popular in 16thcentury France, where Mary probably acquired a taste for it, and she continued with the pastime on her return to Scotland. After she was imprisoned she was allowed to keep a table in her Tower of London cell and she was a keen exponent of the game right up to her death. In fact while awaiting her execution she complained of being deprived of her billiard table. 9. Robert Burns (1759-1796) published his first book in order to gather enough money to burn his bridges and emigrate to Jamaica where there was a job as a plantation manager waiting for him. It was only due to its success that he stayed in Scotland. The bard is very popular in Russia. His works have been translated more into Russian than all the other languages put together 10. At the age of nine, actor Sean Connery supported his impoverished family with a milkrun in his hometown of Edinburgh. On his round the Scottish youngster delivered to Fettes School, which according to Ian Fleming, was the same school, which James Bond attended following his expulsion from Eton. 11.

After Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the Government forces at Culloden, the young pretender fled for his life and was befriended by Captain John Mackinnon. The prince was so grateful that he gave Mackinnon his personal recipe for his favourite concoction, made from a French formula, of Scotch whisky laced with heather, herbs, honey, and spices. It was called drambuie, which means “a drink that satisfies” in Gaelic. 12. Dundee is Scotland’s only south facing city. 13. In 1424 James I (1394-1437) banned the playing of football in Scotland proclaiming: “The King forbids that any man play at the fute ball under the pain of jail.” He believed the game to be too rough, declaring it was “meeter for lameing than making able the users thereof”. 14. For years the English King George IV’s (1762- 1830) habit of cavorting around in Highland Dress did not endear him to the English public.

However his 1822 visit to Edinburgh in full Highland rig was stage-managed by Walter Scott to portray the English king as an overweight reincarnation of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The spectacular pageantry that took place helped make tartans and kilts fashionable and was an important step in the romantic stereotype of ‘bonnie Scotland’. 15. In 1457 golf was banned in Scotland by King James II (1430-1460) because it distracted people from practising their archery skills. 16. Sir Walter Scott’s novel Heart of Midlothian gave its name to a ballroom used by a Scottish football team in its early days. In 1873 they decided to name themselves Heart of Midlothian or ‘Hearts’ after it. 17. In the 11th century King Malcolm Canmore organised a foot race to the summit of Craig Choinnich (overlooking Braemar) in order to find the fastest runner in the land to be his royal messenger. It could be argued that today’s modern Highland games originated from this event. The earliest recorded Highland Games organised on modern lines was at St. Fillans, in Perthshire in 1819.

A range of athletic events took place, in addition to Highland Dancing and piping. 18. In 1901 the Scottish company A.G.Barr developed a new caffeinated soft drink with an eccentric orange colour. Irn Bru’s formula was a closely guarded secret, but it proved popular amongst the Scots. Today it’s the best selling soft drink in Scotland, the only country in the world where another drink outsells Coca Cola. 19. King James IV (1473- 1513) was the last Scottish king who spoke Gaelic. After being connected with the murder of his father King James III, James felt so guilty about his role in his father’s death that for the rest of his life he wore an iron chain round his waist next to his skin. 20. In 1775 Dr Samuel Johnson published his Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland, which recorded his visit with his friend James Boswell. But Johnson had a low opinion of Scotland. On one occasion when Boswell admitted he came from Scotland but “I cannot help it.” Johnson replied: “That sir, I find is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help”. 21.

In 1818, while on a walking tour of Scotland, the English poet John Keats managed 600 miles in a month, always rising before dawn in order to complete 26 miles before noon. This walking tour included climbing Ben Nevis, the ascent of which he compared to “mounting 10 St Pauls without the convenience of a staircase”. 22. The kilt did not originate in Scotland. It was worn by the ancient Egyptians and was part of the Assyrian soldiers’ uniform. It was an Englishman Quaker Thomas Rawlinson, who introduced it to Scotland. During the early 18th century Rawlinson ran an iron smelting works in Glengarry and he wore Highland dress in the traditional manner from which he found it time consuming to disrobe. From this he developed a more easily detachable garment, which his workers soon adopted as they found it to be more practical . Iain MacDonnell, the Chief of Glengarry subsequently adopted it and many others soon followed. 23. Five thousand years ago nine stone huts were built at Skara Brae on the Orkney Islands.

In the corner of each little hut was a tiny alcove with a hole in the ground connected to a plumbing system that washed away the wastes through a system of drains into the sea. These are almost certainly the oldest lavatories in the world. 24. In 1772 Scotland became the first country to make lefthand travel a national law, applying to all city traffic. Offenders were fined 20 shillings. 25. Around 250BC, many years before the Romans came to Britain, beer was being brewed by the Picts in Scotland. The beverage was made from heather and had hallucinogenic properties. 26. St Columba, the Irish missionary who brought Christianity to Scotland, is said to be the first person to have encountered the Loch Ness monster. The story goes that in 565AD he came across a group of Picts burying a man who had been killed by the monster while swimming. One of his followers dived into the loch to bring back a boat, and was attacked by the beast. Columba immediately made a sign of the cross and in the name of God commanded the monster to go. At this the monster fled as if terrified. 27.

The invention of logarithms as an aid to calculation is attributed to a Scottish nobleman named John Napier (1550-1617). Napier is also credited with creating one of the earliest calculating machines, known as ‘Napier’s Bones’ and popularising the use of the decimal point, though he only considered his mathematical studies to be a ‘mere hobby’. 28. In 1823 the Scottish chemist Charles Macintosh (1766- 1843) patented the waterproof cloth he used to make raincoats, after experimenting with waste rubber products from Glasgow’s new gas works. He was anxious to protect the secret of his new waterproof cloth so he chose Highland workers to work in his Glasgow factory as they only spoke Gaelic. His novel mackintoshes immediately proved to be a hit though at first the rubbery substance became brittle and stiff in extremely cold weather. 29. John Henry Anderson (1814-74) was a Scottish conjuror, who became known as the Great Wizardof the North, a title he claimed had been bequeathed to him by Sir Walter Scott, the original Wizard of the North.

He is credited with moving magic from fairgrounds to the theatre when he opened his 5,000-seat City Theatre in Glasgow, and was also the originator of pulling of rabbits from top hats, which he begun advertising in the 1840s 30. Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) became the Queen of Scotland on the death of her father, James V when a mere six days old. Her devoted little Skye Terrier was her companion throughout her long imprisonment by the English Queen Elizabeth and was concealed in her skirts during her execution. It refused to be coaxed away from her body, wouldn’t eat afterwards and died from grief and starvation. 31. In the early 19th century a Scottish engineer John McAdam (1756-1836), who’d become increasingly frustrated with highways that were often impassable because of rain and mud, came up with a revolutionary method of road construction. It involved placing tightly packed layers of smaller stones bound with fine gravel on a base of large stones with adequate drainage to carry away rainfall. This macadamisation of roads did much to ease travel and communication and the process was quickly adopted in many other European countries and North America.

Midway through the 19th century the use of hot tar to bond the stones was developed. This method known as tarmacadam (today shortened to tarmac) is still the staple of road building 200 years later. 32. In 1490 the Bishop of St Andrews declared that meat pies were too English and banned their consumption in Scotland. 33. Although the Scots comprise less than 0.5 percent of the world’s population, 11 percent of all Nobel prizes have been awarded to Scotsmen. 34. Scottish soldiers in the 14th century carried bags of oatmeal and cooked themselves fresh oatcakes wherever they camped. The dough was rolled out and while one side was baked on a flat iron plate the other side was toasted on the campfire. These cakes gave them the energy to endure long marches. 35. In the last years of his life George Orwell lived a selfsufficient lifestyle in a remote smallholding on the island of Jura in the Outer Hebrides. Barnhill, his house there was an empty, isolated farmhouse, eight miles from the nearest road.

There he wrote his novel 1984 away from the phone and other distractions and he could fight his tubercolis 36. The British Isles’ shortest place name is I (the Gaelic for Iona). In addition there are three Scottish place names which contain only two letters: Oa, Ae and Bu. 37. An English visitor to Scotland in the early 17th century described a ‘pottage’ made of oatmeal flour boiled in water and eaten with butter, milk or ale. This meal, which was to become known as porridge had many regional variations in Scotland and was served at breakfast or as the main course at lunch or dinner. 38. When the potato was introduced to Europe in the early 17th century, it was damned as an evil food. The Scots refused to eat it because it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible, and in other European countries it was blamed for starting outbreaks of leprosy and syphilis. 39. One of the first Scottish railways was opened between Edinburgh and Dalkeith in 1831. It contained Britain’s first railway tunnel stretching 350 yards under the southern edge of Holyrood Park.

The carriages were originally horse-drawn as it was thought steam engines were dangerous. It became known as the Innocent Railway because of its safety record, as no one was ever killed. 40. The first international rugby game happened in 1871 at a time when teams still consisted of 20 players each side. It was played between England and Scotland at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, in front of a crowd of 4,000, who paid an entrance fee of one shilling. Scotland won by one goal and one try to one goal. There were no penalty goals, as it was accepted that gentlemen would not cheat. The try was awarded after a 10 minute argument, leading to a famous aphorism by Dr. H.H. Almond, the Scottish referee: “I must say, however, that when an umpire is in doubt, I think he is justified in deciding against the side which makes the most noise. They are probably in the wrong”. 41. Scots Wae Nae, the unofficial Scottish anthem written by Robert Burns was inspired by Robert the Bruce’s marching song Hey Tutti Taitie which was sung by his troops during the Battle of Bannockburn. 42.

The haunting melody of Scotland the Brave is a hymn to rebel Jacobites. The tune dates back several centuries, and is considered a traditional Scottish folk-tune, the same tune is also used for the song My Bonnie Lassie. However the lyrics were written comparatively recently by the Scottish journalist Cliff Hanley in 1956. 43. Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) was concerned about a proposal by Robert Peel’s government banning the circulation of all notes below £5 in Scotland, (a law had recently been passed banning them in England), which would have meant the disappearance of the much loved Scottish £1 note. So he wrote a series of letters, called The Letters of Malachi Malagrowther, which were published in the Edinburgh Weekly News in 1826, that stressed the importance of Scottish banknotes as part of the Scottish financial system and as an example of Scottish identity. Sir Walter generated such a furore that the government was forced to back down and to this day portraits of him appear on the front of all notes issued by the Bank of Scotland. 44.

John Duns Scotus (1265-c1308) was a Scottish Franciscan theologian whose hair-splitting theology became dated against modern trends but his followers refused to change and take in new ideas. So the name “Dunce” came to signify those who refuse to learn and move on. 45. The Irish introduced Shinty, a game similar to hurling, to Scotland in the sixth century. It became a favourite sport of the Scottish Highlanders where is was played in the winter months. Though a combative game of much violence, (the name shinty is derived from a word meaning a commotion and a brawl), the game concluded with a feast. A keg of whisky, presented to the winning team, would normally be shared by all. 46. Though skating was first developed in north Europe, the first skates with iron blades were made in Scotland in 1572. Scotland can also lay claim for establishing the first skating club in Edinburgh in 1742. To qualify as a member applicants had to prove their ability to skate a complete circle and on either foot to jump over three hats. 47.

The Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) was notoriously absent-minded. On one occasion falling into discourse with a certain Mr Damer during breakfast, Smith took a piece of bread and butter, and after rolling it round and round put it into the teapot and poured the water to brew it. Shortly after he poured out a cup, and on tasting it declared it was the worst tea he had ever met with. 48. The distinctive checked patterns worn by various Highland clans evolved in the 16th century. Different clans adopted varying coloured designs mainly due to the varying availability of dyes in different locations. However the religious reformer John Knox frowned upon God fearing folk wearing such bright coloured attire and the clergy were banned from wearing them. Meanwhile in Aberdeen a woman wearing a long tartan cloth was considered to be ‘wanton’. 49. The rough, hardwearing cloth known as tweed originated in southern Scotland in the early 19th century as a variation on twill, a woven fabric. It is often assumed it took its name from the River Tweed but this is not the case.

Its origins lie in the old Gaelic word for twill, which was ‘tweel.’ In 1826 a London clerk drafted an order for tweels and accidentally wrote ‘tweeds’ and the name took off. 50. Walter Scott was inspired to write his tale of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, Waverley after visiting the ruins of Waverley Abbey. He worked on it in 1804 but mislaid the manuscript and put it off, before resurrecting it 10 tears later. The first ever historical novel, it was an instant success in Britain, America and Europe. The tale of tartened, kilted, Scots did a brilliant PR job for his nation as up to then, many English had thought of them as a nation of bloodthirsty savages but they were transformed into brave warriors. Though the novel did not name its author, it came to light that Walter Scott was the writer behind it and as the result of the massive success of the book, he became the first British novelist to become a noted public figure.

Heart of Midlothian | History of Hearts 1874-1884 The Old Tolbooth of Edinburgh The Heart of Midlothian Football Club takes its name from the Old Tolbooth (tax-house) of Edinburgh that stood in the Royal Mile, adjacent to St.Giles. The original building was also used as a meeting place for the Parliament; the Town Council; the Privy Council; and the High Court. However, after 1640 it housed the city prison and the hangman's scaffold stood on a two-storey annex. This sinister building was referred to as the "Heart of Midlothian" and today, the entrance is marked by a heart formation of the causeway stones. Although it was demolished in 1817 the prison was such a notable landmark that it was remembered in a famous novel, "Heart of Midlothian", written by Sir Walter Scott. The names of his books and characters were regularly adopted for a number of diverse purposes, such as The Heart of Midlothian Dancing Club from where our football team emerged.

From Washing Green Court to the Meadows We know this from the writings of George Robertson who first watched Hearts in 1878 and eventually became the club secretary; a director; and first historian. George documented the early years and his lecture notes are held in the club's archive. He was certainly close to the original players, Robertson's parents living in Washing Green Court, situated off the South Back Canongate (now Holyrood Road) at its junction with Dumbiedykes Road. This was the site of the neighbourhood refreshment rooms that catered for all manner of functions and activities including the Heart of Midlothian Dancing Club. The pals from the dance club also decided to play football and "tradition" has it that a policeman directed the lads from the Tron Kirk to the Meadows, where he thought their energies could be put to better use kicking a ball rather than hanging around the streets. It was said that the youngsters purchased a ball from Percival King's shop in Lothian Street and proceeded to the East Meadows. There the seeds of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club were sown although they first played under local rules that were a mixture of both rugby and soccer codes.

Football Association Rules reach Edinburgh However, in December 1873, the best players of Queens Park FC and Clydesdale FC played an exhibition match at Raimes Park, Bonnington to introduce Football Association Rules to Edinburgh. Among the 200 spectators were a number of the dance hall footballers who then decided to adopt Association Rules during the early months of 1874 and their restructured side was called Heart of Mid-Lothian Football Club after their other favourite pastime. The precise date of the club's formation was never recorded, but as it was during 1874 that the players and members adopted Football Association Rules, this has become the accepted date that the Hearts, as they are popularly known, was established. Hearts join The Scottish Football Association There was no mention of Hearts in the newspapers during season 1874-75, but the team was clearly playing as the club immediately appears as a well-established organisation at the commencement of 1875-76. In fact, in August 1875, Heart of Midlothian FC was strong enough to join both the Scottish Football Association and become a founder member of the Edinburgh Football Association (now the East of Scotland FA).

The club registered its colours as "marone" which is the old Edinburgh spelling of maroon, although the first team picture shows the players in white with a heart on the left breast. Tom Purdie was the first captain and home matches were played on the East Meadows Public Park, which was used by many teams including Hearts greatest rivals, the Hibernians. The club was based in Anderson's Tavern, West Crosscauseway and that establishment was recorded as Hearts' headquarters by the SFA. The players changed in an upstairs room in the tavern until 1876 when a stripping box was erected in the Meadows Schoolhouse. The team (white shirts) in 1875-76 with captain Tom Purdie holding the ball At the end of August 1875 the "Scotsman" reported a challenge match on the East Meadows between Hearts and The Third Edinburgh Rifle Volunteers. This was the first time the club was mentioned in the press, but the Volunteers ran out 2-0 winners. In October 1875 the team also played its first Scottish FA Cup-tie, against the same opponents.

At Craigmount Park in the Grange, Hearts held the Volunteers to a 0-0 draw and the teams met again in the East Meadows before several hundred spectators and again drew 0-0. In accordance with the rules of the time, both sides moved on to the next round where Hearts lost 2-0 to Drumpellier FC in Coatbridge. On Christmas Day 1875, Hearts challenged Hibernians for the first time and despite playing without three men for the first 20 minutes, Hearts won 1-0 at the East Meadows. This was the first recorded match against the greens. The team did not compete for several months in the autumn of 1876, due to a shortage of players. However, Hearts were still members of the SFA and were included in the Scottish Cup, although the playing situation forced the club to withdraw after being drawn against Dunfermline FC. Many of the remaining men turned out for St Andrew's Football Club and by January 1877, Heart of Midlothian had re-emerged having absorbed St Andrew's and its players and having adopted a new strip of red, white and blue hoops.

For season 1877-78, the shirts were dyed to the much loved maroon and coincidentally, the club gained its first honour when on 20 April 1878, city rivals, Hibernians, was defeated in the Fourth Replay of the Edinburgh FA Cup Final (now the East of Scotland Shield). The "maroons" defeated the "Irishmen" 3-2 at Powburn to become the champion club in the capital, with John Alexander scoring the winner late in the game. Captain, Tom Purdie, long remembered the occasion not only due to the result but because he was attacked by a mob of Hibs supporters on his way home. At this time, the game consisted of cup competitions and challenge matches with the most important events being the Scottish Cup and the Edinburgh FA Cup, both of which generated great excitement. At the start of season 1878-79 Hearts were still playing on the East Meadows and the club's headquarters was now Mackenzie's shop in nearby Chapel Street. However, the Meadows were now overcrowded with spectators milling around and interfering with matches.

Hearts therefore played important fixtures at the Edinburgh Football Association ground at Powburn, above where Saville Terrace now stands, and here the club was able to charge admission money. Hearts won the Presidents Cup in May 1879 beating Hanover FC 5-4 in the Final at Powderhall Grounds. However, Hibs won the more prestigious Edinburgh FA Cup and began a period of dominance that lasted for nearly ten years. This did not stop the growth of the club and prior to the start of season 1879-80 it was strong enough to secure its own private park at Powderhall Grounds. This was not the well known dog track but a pitch next to the railway line, standing on what is now the city refuse works. In October 1880 Hearts were the first Edinburgh side thought capable of challenging Queens Park, but the Maroons lost 8-1 before 3,000 fans at Powderhall Grounds. Nevertheless, at local level Hearts were a major force along with Hibernians, St.Bernard FC and Leith Athletic.

This position was underlined on 30 October 1880 when Hearts defeated Anchor FC by 21-0 in the Edinburgh FA Cup, a result that remains the club's record confirmed victory. The first grandstand at Tynecastle Hearts move to Gorgie-Dalry In January 1881 Hearts became the first city club to play in England, although the team lost 4-2 against Aston Villa and 2-0 against Blackburn Rovers. Another major step forward came in February 1881 when the club took over a private field in the flourishing industrial suburb of Dalry where it has long been associated. This was not the present ground, the pitch being laid out on the site of what is now Wardlaw Street and Wardlaw Place. Facilities were quickly erected including a pavilion and an uncovered stand, and the first Tynecastle was officially opened on 9 April 1881 with a match against Hanover. Hearts won 8-0 and admission was 6d (2.5p) with ladies admitted free.

In season 1881-82, Hearts ran three teams, but could not match the leading clubs in the west and an 8-1 reverse against Vale of Leven in the Scottish Cup on 21 October 1882 stood as Hearts record defeat for nearly one hundred years. The team picked up near the end of that campaign and won the initial competition for the Rosebery Charity Cup, defeating St Bernards 2-0 in the final with Andrew Lees and Bob Waugh scoring the goals. Hearts badge in 1880 on the annual dance ticket Hearts Suspended Following the Charity Cup win the club's fine team was ravaged by English sides who lured Scotsmen down south to play professionally. This included Hearts' captain, Nick Ross, who was tactically ahead of his time and he starred for Preston North End, the first English Champions. In season 1883-84, Hibs beat Hearts in both the Scottish Cup and the East of Scotland Shield (formerly the Edinburgh FA Cup). Our city rivals did not have the same recruitment problems, as in those days, Catholic and Irish lads from all over Scotland wanted to play in a green shirt.

Accordingly, with them dominating the local scene, Hearts were forced to make underhand payments in order to attract and retain quality players. While this policy was not unique to Hearts, in October 1884, the club became the first to be suspended by the SFA following a protest by Dunfermline FC. Hearts beat the Fifers 11-1 in the Scottish Cup, but were expelled from the competition and suspended after it was found out that James Maxwell and Chris McNee were in receipt of 26/- per week (£1.30). In November 1884 the Heart of Midlothian Committee admitted the irregularities and after a new Committee was elected, the club was quickly re-admitted to the national association. HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN HONOURS BOARD (1874-1884) The Edinburgh FA Cup: 1877-78 The President's Cup: 1878-79 The Rosebery Charity Cup: 1882-83 Football Clubs in UK Search for attractions in the UK here!

Everton Football Club Despite their recent struggles, Everton - originally known as St Domingo's FC before taking their current name from a district in Liverpool in which they played - are one of the most successful clubs in English football history and have had a place in the top-flight ever since 1954. The club's most successful periods occurred in the mid-60s (winning the championship twice and the FA Cup) and the early 1980s when triumph in the European Cup-Winners Cup was supplemented by two more league titles and another FA Cup win. Fast Fact: Everton have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup on a record 23 occasions. Fast Fact: Everton legend Dixie Dean still holds the record for the most league goals in a season with 60 in 39 matches in the 1927-28 season. Find Hotels near Everton Football Club Fulham Football Club Like Bolton, Fulham began life as a church side - the Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School FC - back in 1879. But they became just plain Fulham FC in 1888 and in 1896 they would take up residence at Craven Cottage.

Their history was not a glorious one until they achieved promotion to the top-flight for the first time in 1959, with club heroes Johnny Haynes and George Cohen playing massive parts in keeping them there until 1968. The Seventies in Division Two would also be interesting, with the likes of Bobby Moore, George Best and Rodney Marsh playing their aging trade there. Find Hotels near Fulham Football Club Gillingham Football Club Priestfield Stadium has been virtually re-built since the current Chairman Paul Scally took over in 1995. On one side of the ground is the impressive two tiered, Medway Stand, opened in 2000 , with a row of executive boxes (the type which you can sit outside of) running across the middle. Opposite is the tidy all seater Gordon Road Stand. Unfortunately though, it contains a number of supporting pillars, which may hinder your view. This also has an unusual TV gantry perched on its roof. The Rainham End, has also been re-developed, with a single tier cantilevered stand, which replaced a former terrace.

Find Hotels near Gillingham Football Club Grimsby Town Football Club The most impressive stand is the John Smiths Stand, which was only built in the mid 80's. This stand is much higher that the remaining three stands, offering excellent views of the North Sea. This does impact on the atmosphere though, as most songs pass straight over the remaining three stands! The rest of the ground is rather dated, and the club is well aware of the need to re-develop. They have recently applied for planning permission to built a new 15,000 all seater stadium on the edge of town, on the M180, and are obviously reluctant to spend vast amounts of money upgrading Blundell Park. Find Hotels near Grimsby Town Football Club Hartlepool United Football Club Hartlepool United Football Club Formed in 1908. The ground was greatly improved in the mid 1990's, with the construction of two new stands. The Cyril Knowles Stand is the newer of the two side stands. It is a small single tier covered, seated stand which is raised above ground level.

At the other side is the Camerons Brewery Stand which has covered seating to the rear and open terrace to the front. The newer end is the small Expamet Town End, a covered terrace, for home fans. The other end, the Rink End stand, is a small covered all seated stand which houses away supporters. Find Hotels near Hartlepool United Football Club Haverfordwest County Football Club HAVERFORDWEST Football Club was formed on 7th December 1899 and changed the name, early in its history, to Haverfordwest Town. Most of the team�s fixtures in those early days were friendly matches, but the club gained membership of the Pembrokeshire League before the First World War. Indeed, they remain members of the Pembrokeshire League to this day, fielding their reserve side, but the senior team moved up to the Welsh Football League in 1936. A name change was implemented at the same time and they became known as Haverfordwest Athletic. Find Hotels near Haverfordwest County Football Club Heart of Midlothian Football Club Heart of Midlothian F.C. is a football club from Edinburgh, Scotland which plays in the Scottish Premier League.

It is one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian. The club is managed by Graham Rix, appointed on November 7, 2005 following the departure of George Burley on October 22, 2005. Vladimir Romanov recently became the major shareholder of Hearts when he took over Chris Robinson's stake. Hearts (the common abbreviation) were founded in 1874 and are named after a dance hall, which in turn took its name from the novel The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott. They initially played at the Meadows, Powburn and Powderhall before moving to the Gorgie area in 1881. They moved to their current Tynecastle site in 1886. Find Hotels near Heart of Midlothian Football Club Hibernian Football Club Hibernian Football Club (informally known as "Hibs") is a Scottish football club from Edinburgh. Along with rivals Hearts, they represent Edinburgh in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Tony Mowbray. The club was founded in 1875 by Irish born football enthusiasts, and currently plays at the Easter Road ground in Leith.

Hibs originally played at a ground near the Meadows, in the south of Edinburgh's Old Town but moved to Easter Road in the 1880s. They were the first major club in Scotland formed out of the immigrant Irish Catholic population (hence the name, from Hibernia, the Latin name for Ireland). As the first such team, their example led to the creation of Dundee Hibernian (now Dundee United) and Celtic. Find Hotels near Hibernian Football Club Huddersfield Town Football Club Huddersfield Town Football Club Formed in 1908. The Galpharm Stadium is a multi-use sports stadium in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. Until 2004 it was known as the McAlpine Stadium but a change in sponsorship has led to the new title. During planning and construction, it was referred to as the Kirklees Stadium. It was awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture in 1995 The Galpharm stadium is home to Huddersfield Giants rugby league club and Huddersfield Town A.F.C. soccer club.

It is also a regular venue for international rugby league The stadium was built in 1991, and cost �40 million. Find Hotels near Huddersfield Town Football Club Hull City Football Club Hull FC's home, the Kingston Communications Stadium, is situated within the wonderful parkland settings of West Park. The Stadium and associated community sports complex offers the city state-of-the-art facilities for all types of professional and amateur sports, embracing the whole of Kingston upon Hull.The Kingston Communications Stadium has proved to be a massive success for the Black and Whites during their first two years. Attendances went through the roof in 2003 and the club also attracted impressive crowds in 2004. The highest crowd for Hull FC at the Stadium is 19,549 when Bradford Bulls visited in June 2003. Find Hotels near Hull City Football Club Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the city of Inverness. They are currently playing in the Scottish Premier League and are managed by Craig Brewster, who is also a player for the club.

They play in blue, red and white strips, and are nicknamed Caley Thistle. Their home ground, Caledonian Stadium, is situated beside the Moray Firth, in the shadow of the Kessock Bridge. The club was formed as Caledonian Thistle F.C. in 1994 following the merger of Caledonian F.C. and Inverness Thistle F.C., both members of the Highland Football League, to fill a vacancy in the Scottish Football League. Find Hotels near Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club Ipswich Town Football Club The overall look of the ground has greatly improved, with the re-development of both ends in recent years . Both these ends, the Greene King (South) Stand and the North Stand, are similar in appearance and size, and dwarf the smaller older stands, located on each side of the ground. Unusually, both ends have a larger upper tier which overhangs slightly the smaller lower tier . Both have windshields to either side of the upper tier and they are completed , with some spectacular floodlights perched on their roof s . Both sides are much older stands and now look quite tired in comparison.

Find Hotels near Ipswich Town Football Club Kilmarnock Football Club Kilmarnock Football Club, founded in 1869 and nicknamed 'Killie' is the oldest professional football club in Scotland. Home matches are played at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock - an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 18,128. They are currently playing in the Scottish Premier League and are managed by Jim Jefferies. Traditional team colours are blue and white striped shirts, white shorts and socks. Kilmarnock's major honours include winning the Scottish Cup three times (1920, 1929 and 1997) and winning the Scottish League Championship in season 1964/65. They competed the 2004/05 season in the Scottish Premier League. Find Hotels near Kilmarnock Football Club Leeds United Football Club Following a fire which destroyed the original West Stand in September 1956, a public appeal raised �60,000 towards a new one which was opened in August 1957 at a cost of �180,000.

The roof of the West Stand has a television commentary gantry and walkway for TV personnel who may be asked to film here on a matchday. The radio and press also have facilities in this stand so they can commentate direct to the public and make notes for their respective papers. This stand houses the Directors Box, where both home and away Team Directors may sit to enjoy the match, plus the Club Doctor. Find Hotels near Leeds United Football Club Leicester City Football Club In August 2002 t he club moved into its new home, only a stone's throw away from their old Filbert Street ground. The stadium was built by Birse Construction at a cost of �35m , is completely enclosed with all corners being filled with seating. The sides are of a good size, built in the same style and height. Running around three sides of the stadium, just below the roof, is a transparent p erspex strip, which allows more light and facilitates pitch growth. On the remaining side is a row of executive boxes. Completely encircling the stadium and hanging from the roof itself is a collage of player images.

Question: Which Sir Walter Scott novel has the same name as a Scottish football team?
Answer: 'HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN'